A Bug's Life

A Bug's Life is a computer animated film, released by Disney and Pixar to theatres in 1998. It concerns an oddball ant named Flik, who recruits circus bugs to defend his colony from grasshoppers. The story is an interpretation of the classic Kurosawa film, The Seven Samurai and Cool.

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[after Heimlich suggests that he tell the truth] They can't know the truth! The truth, you see, is bad! I will be branded with this mistake for the rest of my life! My children's... children will walk down the street, and people will point and say, "Look! There goes the spawn of Flik the Loser!"

[to Hopper, bravely] Ants are not meant to serve grasshoppers. I've seen these ants do great things... and year after year, they somehow manage to pick enough food for themselves and you. So-so who's the weaker species? Ants don't serve grasshoppers! It's you who need us! We're a lot stronger than you say we are… and you know it… don't you?

Francis: [flies up to the pair of flies and takes his hat off]So, being a ladybug automatically makes me a girl! Is that it, flyboy, huh?!

Fly 2: Yipes!

Fly 1: She's a guy!

Heimlich: Francis, leave them alone! They are poo-poo heads!

P.T.: Not again!

Francis: Judging by your breath, you must've been buzzin' around a dung heap all day!

Slim: Come on, Francis. You're making the maggots cry.

Francis: [his reflection is in Fly 1's eyes] Any time, pal! I'm gonna pick the hairs out of your head one by one!

Fly 1: Take the best shot!

Francis: You name the place!

Fly 1: Oh, yeah?!

Francis: Yeah, 'cause when you get there, you are dead!

Slim: Francis, let me handle this. That's no way to speak to a lady.

Francis: I heard that, you twig.

Hopper: So, where is it? [beat] Where's my FOOD?!

Atta: I-isn't it up there?

Hopper: What?!

Atta: The food was sitting in a leaf on top--

Hopper: Excuse me?!

Atta: Are you sure it's not up there?

Hopper: Are you saying I'm stupid?

Atta: No.

Hopper: Do I look stupid... to you? Let's just think about the logic, shall we? Let's just think about it for a second. If it was up there, would I be coming down here... to your level... looking for it?!

Atta: Um...

Hopper: Why am I even talking to you? You're not the queen. You don't smell like the queen.

Hopper: It's a "bug eat bug" world out there, Princess. One of those "circle of life" kind of things. Now, let me tell you how things are supposed to work. The sun grows the food, the ants pick the food, the grasshoppers eat the food–

Molt: And the birds eat the grasshoppers. Hey, like the one that nearly ate you, you remember? Oh, you shoulda seen it.

Hopper: [angrily pushes him against a wall] I swear if I hadn't promised Mother on her deathbed that I wouldn't kill you, I would kill you!

Molt: And believe me, no one appreciates that more than I do.

Hopper: Shut up! I don't want to hear another word out of you while we're on this island. Do you understand me? [Molt whimpers] I said, do you understand me?!

Molt: Well, how can I answer? You said I couldn't say another word. [Hopper enraged is about to angrily punch him] Ah, remember Ma!

Hopper: [furiously turns and angrily punches another grasshopper; calms down becoming reasonable] Hey, I'm a compassionate insect. There's still a few months till the rains come, so you can all just try again.

Queen: But Hopper, since it's almost the rainy season, we need this time to gather food for ourselves.

Hopper: Listen, if you don't keep your end of the bargain, then I can't guarantee your safety and there are insects out there that will take advantage of you. Someone could get hurt. [snaps his fingers and calls out Thumper who scares Dot so she runs away but is caught by Hopper] What's the matter, you scared of grasshoppers?

Flik: Dot!

Hopper: [picks her up and brings her closer to Thumper] You don't like Thumper? [brings her up face to face with Thumper and he snarls and growls]

Flik: [steps forward] Leave her alone!

Hopper: [turns to Flik] You want her? [holds Dot above Flik] Go ahead. Take her. [Flik stands down in fear] No? Then get back in line.[Flik does so] It seems to me that you ants are forgetting your place. So let's double the order of food.

Atta: No, but-but--

Hopper: We'll be back at the end of the season... [pulls a skin flake off Molt] ...when the last leaf falls. [lets go of the skin flake, and it slowly drops like a leaf] You ants have a nice summer. Let's ride!

[The grasshoppers all fly away and the entire colony stares at Flik, who chuckles nervously]

Hopper: Guys... order another round, because we're stayin' here! [the rest of the grasshoppers cheer] What was I thinking going back to Ant Island? I mean, we just got here, and we have more than enough food to get us through the winter, right? Why go back? [the music goes back on and the rest of the gang begins to party again] But... there was that ant that stood up to me.

Axel: Yeah, but we can forget about him!

Barry: He was just one ant!

[The rest of the gang agrees, mocking the ants about their puny size compared to them]

Hopper: Yeah, you're right! It's just one ant!

Barry: Yeah, boss. They're puny!

Hopper: Hmm, puny. Say, let's pretend this grain is a puny little ant. [throws it at Barry] Did that hurt?

Barry: Heh! Nope.

Hopper: Well, how 'bout this one? [throws it at Axel]

Axel: Are you kiddin'?

[The rest of the grasshoppers laugh]

Hopper: Well, how 'bout [seriously]this?[pulls the lid off the jar of grain and Axel and Loco are buried beneath the avalanche, then he climbs on top of the grain pile] You let one ant stand up to us, then they all might stand up! Those "puny little ants" outnumber us a hundred to one, and if they ever figure that out, there goes our way of life! It's not about food - it's about keeping those ants in line! That's why we're going back! Does anybody else wanna stay?

Slim: Ladies and gentlebugs! Larvae of all stages! Rub your legs together for the world's greatest bug circus!

[the circus wagon arrives with the circus music playing]

Hopper: Wait a minute![music screeches to a halt]

Heimlich: [nervously] I think I'm going to wet myself.

Francis: [out of the corner of his mouth] Steady...

Hopper: What's going on here?

Atta: Well, uh...

Slim: Uh, yes. We were invited by Princess Atta as a surprise for your arrival.

Hopper: Squish 'em. [Slim and Francis gasp; the grasshoppers advance on the circus bugs; Dim backs into the cannon launching Tuck and Roll out of it; they dance in front of the grasshoppers, singing their usual gibberish, then get into a fight] Now, that's funny. [the other grasshoppers sit back in their seats laughing hysterically] I guess we could use a little entertainment. Looks like you did something right for once, Princess.

Hopper: Whose idea was this?! Huh?! Was it yours, Princess?!

Atta: Just get behind me, girls. It'll be OK.

Flik: Leave her alone, Hopper! The bird was my idea! I'm the one you want!

Hopper: Where do you get the gall to do this to me?

Flik: You were....you were gonna....squish the queen.

Dot: It's true.

Hopper: I hate it when someone gives away the ending.

Hopper: Well, Princess.

Molt: Um, Hopper, um, I-I hate to interrupt, but um....

Hopper: You ants stay back!

Molt: Oh, this was such a bad idea.

Atta: You see, Hopper, nature has a certain order. The ants pick the food, the ants keep the food, and the grasshoppers leave.